Board game apparatus

ABSTRACT

A game for play by two persons which includes a game board divided into a plurality of spaces arranged in rows. Identifying means representing a chess king is disposed on one of the spaces and comprises a closed space in relation to which the play of the game is directed, with all other spaces being open for play. Playing cards having chess indicia thereon representing various chess pieces are playable on the spaces open for play. The chess indicia on the cards determine the relation of the cards to the closed space occupied by the chess king and the other cards when played on the other spaces.

United States Patent Welter [4 Aug. 15, 1972 {s41 BOARD GAME APPARATUS [57] ABSTRACT Inventor! Matthew Weller, County A game for play by two persons which includes a Trunk G, Nekoosa, Wis. 54457 [22] Filed: Jan. 4, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 103,753

[52] US. Cl. ..273/l3l K, 273/ 135 R [5 1] Int. Cl. ..A63f 3/02 [58] Field of Search ..'...273/l30, i3], 135, 136

[56] References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 485,536 5/1938 GreatBritain ..273/13ll( Primary Examiner-Delbert B. Lowe AttorneyAndrus, Sceales, Starke & Sawall game board divided into a plurality of spaces arranged in rows. Identifying means representing a chess king is disposed on one of the spaces and comprises a closed space in relation to which the play of the game is directed, with all other spaces being open for play. Playing cards having chess indicia thereon representing various chess pieces are playable on the spaces open for play. The chess indicia on the cards determine the relation of the cards to the closed space occupied by the chess king and the other cards when played on the other spaces.

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\\\\\\\\\\\- 5 F a I i;;l 0/ I Ii 213 I A I i 1' 2 P15 1' Q i I I v l i h a l L? i vi a BOARD GAME APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to board games and more particularly to board games having playing cards in the apparatus of the game.

Chess is a challenging game of skill that has many adherents. It is, however, time consuming for most players, and many persons do not take the time necessary to acquire the necessary skill. Since a skilled player usually beats an unskilled opponent, the enjoyment of both is restricted. The element of chance, which would add enjoyment for the less skilled, is entirely missing. For such reasons, chess has become a pastime for a relative few.

There is a need, therefore, for games which are challenging in the way chess is, but are adapted for enjoyment by a larger group of people.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides a game which presents a challenge similar to chess, while requiring much less time to play. The game of the invention combines the skills of chess with the element of chance so as to appeal to a larger group of people. These and other advantages will appear in the drawings and description.

The game includes a board having a plurality of rectangular spaces in adjacent rows. One row has a closed space with indicia representing a chess King, while the remaining spaces are playable. For playing on the board, the game includes cards having chess player indicia printed on one side. The cards are adapted to be played on the spaces.

The game further contemplates shuffling of the chess cards to provide for dealing wherein the distribution is purely chance as to chess pieces and their various directions of movement in accordance with chess rules. This provides an element of chance in a chess type game.

The object of the game is to play chess cards on the spaces available for play and score on the basis of the relation of the played cards to the King space. The relation is governed by the rules of chess regarding checking the King and the direction of movement of the chess pieces.

The drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the practice of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus of the invention including a game board, a first deck of cards shown face up, and a second deck of cards shown face down; and

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the game board and two hands of cards with several cards in position on the board.

DESCRIPTION Illustrated in the drawings is a rectangular game board ll, having an edge margin 2 around its outer periphery. Within margin 2, the board is divided into twelve spaces, eleven being open spaces 3 and the twelfth being a closed space 4.

In accordance with the optimum practice of the invention, each space 3 and 4 is rectangular in shape,

with the spaces arranged on the board adjacent to other spaces in four rows 5, 5, 7 and E3 of three spaces each. In the first row 5, near the one margin 2, closed segment 4 occupies the middle position. Imprinted thereon is a representation of a King 9 as on the top ofa conventional King piece in chess. ln the game, the open spaces 3 are open to play, while space 4 occupied by imprinted King 9 is closed.

To differentiate between spaces 3, the spaces are alternated in color, such as in blue and red. Point scoring indicia 10 are also printed on spaces 3, for scoring as described, infra. Indicia M) are preferred to indicate five points on the first row 5 and on the second row 6, ten points on the third row 7, and twenty points in the middle space of the last row 8.

The game is played by two persons with two similar decks of chess cards 11 and 112, differentiable by color or otherwise, so that the players can identify the cards from their deck. The cards are constructed in rectangles, corresponding generally in size to spaces 3 such that the cards may be placed on the spaces.

Each deck of cards 11 and 12 includes 2 chess cards with chess indicia 13 imprinted on one side. indicia 13 for each deck designate the queen, four rooks, four bishops, four knights, and seven pawns, for a total of twenty. The opposite sides of the cards in each deck are marked identically to make it impossible for identification until the card is played face up. In the play of the game, the chess designations of indicia l3 indicate the power of movement of each card in the manner of their corresponding chess piece in the regulation chess game. Board 1 has arrows 14 or other indicia in margin 2 or elsewhere on the board to indicate the direction of movement for the pawn cards.

To play a preferred form of the game, two persons each select a deck 11 or T2 and shuftle their opponents deck. Returning the decks, the players place their decks face down and draw a first set of cards comprising the top five cards. The first player is arbitrarily selected and he begins play by placing one of his cards face up on a space 3. The second player plays a card similarly and they alternate until all five cards in each hand are so played.

The object of the preferred form of the game is for each player to have as many as possible cards representing chess pieces checking King 9 on space 4. This is governed by the regulation movements of the chess pieces indicated on the cards.

Subsequent to the play of the cards, a process of cancelling is begun, again in accordance with the regulation movements of the chess pieces represented on the cards. The cancelling is performed in turns, beginning with the first player, and ends when no further cancelling moves can be made. The cards may be moved between spaces for this purpose.

The players play their cards with two objects in mind. In an interesting example of the game which can be played with these cards, the effect of playing a card can be any one of the following:

A. A card can be played in a position which does not cancel an opponents card or check the King 9. This would serve to occupy a space.

B. A card can be played in a space to cancel an op ponents card that was checking the King 9. A card can be moved to cancel only once.

C. A card can be played in a position which is cancelled by an opponents card. This would be advantageous when the opponents card was checking the King, but is now required to cancel the newly played card. This example of the invention contemplates compulsory cancelling, where a card must be moved to cancel when the move is available. If several such moves are available, the player chooses one.

D. A card can be played in a space where it will be moved to cancel an opponents card and at the same time to move into checking King 9.

E. A card can be played to cancel an opponents card that is in a position to cancel one of the players own cards. Such a cancelled card, of course, cannot be moved to cancel as before this play was made, as it is dead.

The above illustrates the variety of reasons a player can have for playing a particular card in a particular space 3 in this example of a game. In FIG. 2, an example of this game is shown where a first player played a queen card in a position to check King 9. The second player then played a pawn card 16 in position to cancel queen card 15. The first player then played a rook card 17 to cancel pawn card 16 and thus place his queen card 15 in checking condition again. Further playing of cards is similarly performed.

In cancelling the first player makes any available cancelling move, which would not necessarily be with the first card he played in a cancelling position. The second player then makes any cancelling move available to him, and the players alternate. When one player runs out of cancelling moves, the other player may con tinue if he has any cancelling moves available, and the set is considered completed. It is contemplated that a card may be moved only to cancel, so that queen card 15, for instance, could not simply be moved to a better position in the example shown in FIG. 2.

Scoring is provided by indicia 10 after all five cards are played and cancelling is completed. The cards of each player which remain checking the closed space 4 are scored in accordance with the points for their spaces 3 and added to give that players score for the set. It should be noted that no points are given for cards which check the King, but are blocked by another card, excepting the Knight card, in accordance with the normal capabilities according to regulation chess.

After scoring, the board is cleared, and it is preferred to lay the five played cards of each player aside and to draw the next five from decks l1 and 12. The game is continued until the fourth set and final group of cards has been played.

The above example of a game is illustrative of many similar rules or strategies which can be adapted to the apparatus of the invention. The invention thus provides a board game with chess cards that can be utilized for playing a game which involves some elements of regulation chess, depends on both skill and chance and is not overly time consuming.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

1. A board gamefor pla by two persons, comprising: a board divided into a p urahty of rectangular spaces arranged in rows;

identifying means on one of said spaces representing a chess King and comprising a closed space in relation to which the play of the game is directed, with all other spaces being open for play; and

playing cards having chess indicia thereon representing various chess pieces and being playable on the spaces open for play, said chess indicia determining the relation of said cards to said closed space occupied by the chess King and other cards when played on said other spaces.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said spaces are arranged in four rows of three spaces each, and said closed space is positioned in an end row as the middle space.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said playing cards comprise two equal decks of 20 cards each, and the respective cards in each deck have chess indicia representing one queen, four bishops, four knights, four rooks and seven pawns, said cards being identifiable with respect to a given player of the game.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 and including direction indicia on said board representing the direction of movement of said cards having chess indicia representing pawns.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 and including point in dicia for each row on the board indicating point scores for eligible cards remaining in play at the end of the game.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said playing cards comprise two equal decks and have means for distinguishing the decks.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cards have said chess indicia on one side and are unidentifiable as between different chess pieces on the opposite side.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 and including point indicia for each row on said board indicating point scores for eligible cards remaining in play at the end of the game.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,684,287 Dated August 15, 1972 Inventor(s) Matthew T Welter It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 5, line 4, after "game" and before'the period insert or a given segment thereof Claim 8, line 4, after "game" and before the period insert or a given segment thereof Signed and sealed this 9th day of January 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting-Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-105O (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-5 69 u,s. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: I969 0-366-334 

1. A board game for play by two persons, comprising: a board divided into a plurality of rectangular spaces arranged in rows; identifying means on one of said spaces representing a chess King and comprising a closed space in relation to which the play of the game is directed, with all other spaces being open for play; and playing cards having chess indicia thereon representing various chess pieces and being playable on the spaces open for play, said chess indicia determining the relation of said cards to said closed space occupied by the chess King and other cards when played on said other spaces.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said spaces are arranged in four rows of three spaces each, and said closed space is positioned in an end row as the middle space.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said playing cards comprise two equal decks of 20 cards each, and the respective cards in each deck have chess indicia representing one queen, four bishops, four knights, four rooks and seven pawns, said cards being identifiable with respect to a given player of the game.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 and including direction indicia on said board representing the direction of movement of said cards having chess indicia representing pawns.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3 and including point indicia for each row on the board indicating point scores for eligible cards remaining in play at the end of the game.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said playing cards comprise two equal decks and have means for distinguishing the decks.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cards havE said chess indicia on one side and are unidentifiable as between different chess pieces on the opposite side.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1 and including point indicia for each row on said board indicating point scores for eligible cards remaining in play at the end of the game. 